Tag Archive for: She’s Quality

Jack Davison hoping for Group One breakthrough with She’s Quality

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Jack Davison is confident She’s Quality can prove she is just that when attempting to end her run of near-misses in the Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes at York.

The four-year-old has been a regular raider to Britain this term, but so far has just fallen short, finishing second in all four outings – most recently when behind John and Sean Quinn’s reopposing Jm Jungle at Goodwood.

However, Davison has always seen the Knavesmire as the perfect place for his model of consistency to excel and she is backed to peak when it matters most to register a first success at Group One level.

“Ultimately she’s just been beaten by better horses on the day in her previous runs this season so I won’t make any excuses,” said Davison when analysing his charge’s season to date.

“What I will say though is I think she has learned a lot about sprinting in those four performances which will hopefully be in her favour on Friday and I think she has a very good chance of getting that number one by her name.

“It’s obvious that a quick five-furlongs on fast ground is exactly what she needs and this is the standout Group One option for her this year.

“We’ve been working towards it all season and I do think she thrives at this time of year which is another positive for a filly, so we’re really looking forward to it.”

She’s Quality is currently a best price of 10-1 for Nunthorpe glory, a race last won by the Irish when Edward Lynam’s Sole Power struck for the second time at York in 2014.

Davison eager for Nunthorpe challenge with She’s Quality

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Jack Davison has the Nunthorpe in his sights for She’s Quality after another sprint near-miss in the King George Qatar Stakes at Goodwood.

The filly arrived on the South Downs having been second in three consecutive starts this season, all of which were Group events on British soil over five furlongs.

She was a 9-1 shot under James Ryan and just fell short once again, missing out by only a neck as Jm Jungle prevailed.

“She’s a super filly, that’s four seconds at the highest level,” said Davison.

“Hopefully it’ll all come good in the Nunthorpe, 37 millimetres of rain probably didn’t help her but I’m very proud of her.

“I think she’s by far the best the sprinter in Ireland, it’s a pleasure to have her. It’s a pleasure to bring her over here to compete against the best the UK has to offer.

“She’s only four, she’s improving. I like my horses to be ridden with cover and to come from slightly off the pace, she’s learning all that now.

“It’s a step in the right direction, she was right up there with the best horses in the world and we’re looking forward to the Nunthorpe.”

Behind She’s Quality in third was Harry Eustace’s Time For Sandals, winner of the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot when last seen before stepping down to five furlongs at Goodwood.

“Today was to see how competitive she could be under those conditions, under a penalty and back to five furlongs,” said Eustace.

“It’s a sharp track and she certainly looked at home. Over five you need everything to go right and she just couldn’t quite get herself into the gap that she needed to.

“She had another go at them, which is pretty unusual, so I’m very happy.

“My gut feeling watching that was Haydock (for the Sprint Cup), she’s looked more at home over six and really travelled.

“We’ll let the dust settle, I don’t think she’ll go to York. She’s a three-year-old filly and I’m just very keen to mind her.

“It’s all about having a healthy horse next year and if we upset that by being greedy this year that would really annoy me, we’ll try not to do that.”

Henry Dwyer’s Australian sprint star Asfoora was out of the money in seventh, with her trainer saying: “Similar to Ascot (fifth in the King Charles III Stakes), she’s run good without being great.

“I just feel there have been things against her both times and we haven’t had the rub of the green. We’re gearing up towards a good run at York, but just not having the right luck at the moment.

“She probably peaked there around 100 metres out, which we thought she would fitness wise. I’m happy enough, but she just needs to keep taking those steps which I’m confident she will.

“It will be on to York now, assuming she pulls up well.”

Goodwood and York beckon for She’s Quality

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Jack Davison is going in search of a flatter track with She’s Quality after she was once again beaten into second place in the Coral Charge at Sandown.

The four-year-old led for the majority of the Group Three contest but was just headed by her nemesis Rumstar at the top of hill to go down by three-quarters of a length.

It was the third time in succession that the daughter of Acclamation had to settle for silver after also hitting the crossbar in the Palace House at Newmarket and Temple Stakes at Haydock.

County Meath handler Davison said: “I think the stiffness of the track was probably the difference between her winning and losing really. I think’s she’s probably put in a lifetime-best so you have to take the positives out of it.

“The winner, it’s the second time he’s beaten us so take nothing away from him. He just finished the trip a bit stronger, didn’t he?

“It’s one of those things. We just need to get a quick five furlongs and we’ll have her day.”

Davison is determined to get his stable star her Group-race victory and has turned his attention to Goodwood and York.

He added: “She’s very fast so we’re going to try to stick to a fast five furlongs. Goodwood (King George Qatar Stakes) would be high on the agenda and the Nunthorpe. They’re the two obvious targets for the next couple of races.”

Sandown Eyecatcher She’s Quality can end frustrating run

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She’s Quality can surely bag herself a major sprint prize before the season is out judged on yet another excellent effort in defeat at Sandown.

Runner-up in the Palace House at Newmarket and the Temple Stakes at Haydock on her previous two starts for Jack Davison, the four-year-old adopted even more forceful tactics in Sandown’s Coral Charge, showing blistering speed for much of the five-furlong contest.

In the end she was mowed down late by Rumstar and had to make do with the silver medal once more, but if she can get loose on the lead again, perhaps on a less demanding track like Goodwood or York later this summer, she could take some pegging back.

Davison backing She’s Quality to Charge to Sandown glory

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Jack Davison is in buoyant mood ahead of the Coral Charge, confident that She’s Quality can prove she is just that at Sandown on Saturday.

The four-year-old has finished second in both the Palace House and Temple Stakes this term but is backed to make it a third-time lucky on her latest raid from Ireland, with her handler confident he has a rising force in the sprint division on his hands.

Davison said: “She’s done nothing wrong this year and we’re hugely looking forward to Saturday.

“I can say with a fair degree of certainty she’s a different horse this year and is thriving through the summer months, so hopefully she can take another step forward on Saturday.

Trainer Jack Davison has plenty of confidence in She's Quality
Trainer Jack Davison has plenty of confidence in She’s Quality (Lorraine O’Sullivan/PA)

“I think she is the up-and-comer in this division and hopefully she can properly announce herself on Saturday.

“She’s very fast and can make quick horses look not so quick. She’s exciting and if it all comes together right, then hopefully she can get her head in front.”

Jonathan Portman’s Rumstar finished ahead of She’s Quality at Newmarket in May before seeing form reversed at Haydock in a race won by Ed Walker’s Mgheera.

Rumstar then finished down the field (14th) in the King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot, a race in which George Scott’s West Acre (13th), Walker’s Balmoral Lady (9th) and John Ryan’s Manaccan (20th) all failed to figure and will be looking to bounce back here.

Walker, who won this race 12 months ago with Makarova and in 2021 with Came From The Dark, said of Balmoral Lady: “She has a shocking draw, again, which is not very helpful, but we’ll have a go. She’s an exciting sprinter.”

Kerdos will have the assistance of Christophe Soumillon
Kerdos will have the assistance of Christophe Soumillon (Nigel French/PA)

Faring best in that Group One event was Clive Cox’s Kerdos who after unshipping Christophe Soumillon on the way to post, finished strongly in fifth and is now reunited with the crack Belgian jockey for this Group Three contest.

“He showed up really well in the King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot and came out of it really well, so I would hope a stiff five furlongs at Sandown would be suitable,” said Cox.

“There’s a very fine line with these sprinters right from Listed level through to Group One, but it’s good to have a horse that is strengthening and has that maturity now to mirror our thoughts about him being a top-class sprinter.”

A Royal Ascot winner in the line-up is Simon and Ed Crisford’s Adrestia, who steps up in grade after landing the Palace of Holyroodhouse Stakes with a degree of ease, while Jack Channon has always held course scorer Queen All Star in the highest regard and she is another to step out of the handicap ranks.

Queen All Star is a course winner
Queen All Star is a course winner (Andrew Matthews/PA)

“She won nicely there before, but it is a massive jump up in grade against older horses,” said Channon.

“We’ll get a good idea exactly where she lies and no matter what the result on Saturday, she’s still a very good filly going forward.”

Jessica Harrington’s Saratoga Special won the Listed Land O’Burns Fillies’ Stakes while all eyes were on Ascot and is another heading to Esher on the back of a victory, with Mick Appleby’s Shagraan and Eve Johnson Houghton’s Change Sings completing the field.